No dash for cash

Bolts' RB combo NFL's highest paid, but run game is the worst

LaDainian Tomlinson has had fewer carries, and little room to run this season. Above, he tries to get by Giants Terrell Thomas after a catch in the 3rd quarter on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009. (K.C. Alfred/Union-Tribune)

LaDainian Tomlinson has had fewer carries, and little room to run this season. Above, he tries to get by Giants Terrell Thomas after a catch in the 3rd quarter on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009. (K.C. Alfred/Union-Tribune)

Midway through their golden anniversary season, the Chargers are on pace to run fewer times than in all but two full seasons of their existence.

They swear they remain committed to the run.

“I'm not going to give up on it,” head coach Norv Turner said. “We've got to be able to run the football.”

Really?

“We need more carries,” Turner answered. “To continue to get better as a total team, no question we need more.”

And from the man who used to be king:

“I definitely think he is committed,” LaDainian Tomlinson said.

The Chargers, who rank last in the NFL in rushing yards per game (69.6) and yards per carry (3.1), certainly should be dedicated to getting something from Tomlinson and Darren Sproles.

The team has invested more money — $13.346 million — in the pair than any team in the NFL has tied up in two running backs this season.

Through nine weeks (eight games), the Chargers are paying an astronomical $32,650 per touch by the duo, more than double what they paid their top two backs in 2007 or 2008 and almost four times what they paid in '06.

Even with Sproles' league-leading 1,397 all-purpose yards (938 on kick returns), the Chargers are paying $4,070 per yard gained by their two running backs.

Those figures includes Sproles' 43 punt and kickoff returns and the 34 receptions between the two. It also includes a $2.875 million signing bonus that was part of Tomlinson's restructured deal this past spring, but it does not include the $1 million Tomlinson will receive if the Chargers release him after this season.

General Manager A.J. Smith declined to comment on the investment the team has made in its two running backs, as he has balked at speaking on many topics lately.

And while who is being paid what is of no concern to Turner, he said, “We're getting a lot out of it. (Defenses) have got eight guys up there trying to stop LT, and Vincent Jackson is getting a lot of great looks. Antonio Gates is getting a lot of great looks.”

True as that may be, Turner also proclaimed, “We've got to continue to run the ball better.”

The last time Tomlinson saw the Philadelphia Eagles, as the Chargers will Sunday, he was not seeing anywhere to run. In the lowest-production game of his career, Tomlinson was held to 7 yards on 17 carries.

That was in 2005, the year before the historic season in which he scored an NFL-record 31 touchdowns (28 of them rushing, also a record) and gained a career-high and league-leading 1,815 yards.

Now, it seems every Sunday brings the potential for an historic low.

This past Sunday in New York, Tomlinson was held to 22 yards. That was the third-lowest total of his career, but it was not even his lowest output of this season. Last month in Pittsburgh, he gained 15 yards on seven carries.

Tomlinson, who missed two games with a sprained ankle, is on pace for 578 yards and 182 carries.

This will almost certainly be his first-ever season under 1,000 yards, and unless some things change, he might end up with roughly half his previous career low of 1,110 set last year. He has never carried fewer than 292 times and has averaged 332 carries over his previous eight seasons.

Tomlinson emerged from Sunday's game with a bruised hip that kept him from yesterday's practice. While Tomlinson said he didn't believe the injury was serious or would jeopardize his participation against the Eagles, it is perhaps another small chink in the king's armor as the murmurs of the Hall of Fame-bound Tomlinson's demise grow louder.

Turner said yesterday he remains a believer Tomlinson is a viable runner, who simply needs more room to do so.

“It's not even fair to get into that evaluation,” Turner said. “When I look at our tapes the last four weeks, when we've given him the opportunity to run, when we've had holes, LT has had good runs. He's had excellent runs. We just need to keep working to get him creases, to get him some running room.”

And opportunities.

While it seems clear Tomlinson is not what he was two years ago, he has been close to breaking several big runs and has shown the ability to move well in certain situations.

With fewer than 15 carries in three of the six games he's played, there hasn't been a lot of opportunity.

“With me, the type of runner I am, I need the carries to get me going, to get in the rhythm,” Tomlinson said. “It's a rhythm during the game you have to get into. You wear people down. Usually, the rhythm comes in the second half. We've only had a few games we've been able to do it. And it looks OK.”

Before last week — in successive games against Denver, Kansas City and Oakland — Tomlinson carried 18, 23 and 18 times for 70, 71 and 56 yards.

“I'm not saying it was great,” he said of his performance. “But it was OK.”

That might be all the Chargers need at this point — a little more. After all, if Tomlinson at some point contributes a play or plays that help the Chargers to their first Super Bowl title, whatever money they've paid will be worth it.

And Tomlinson said he is fine with his role.

“You look at the team and see all the weapons and you go, `Hey, I've had my time where this team leaned on me 25 times (a game),” he said. “It's not that time anymore, so I just do what I can. I know we've got to get certain guys the ball. . . . Things have changed. At the same time, there will come a time where you're going to have to contribute and help win a game or a couple games.”

Turner remains committed to that end.

“LT is going to get better looks in the running game,” Turner said. “I think he'll have a good second half of the season.”